Do you like the taste of chocolate and peppermint together? Then you should enjoy this easy chocolate mint extract recipe. It's made in a similar manner to the vanilla, almond and lemon extracts. (Check out the other homemade extract recipes here.) I use the chocolate mint plant as the basis for my extract, but peppermint will also work in combination with cacao nibs.
Homemade extracts are great for holiday gift giving. The flavor gets stronger the longer you allow the extract to steep, so make sure to plan for at least 6 weeks of infusion. I haven't purchased commercial mint extract in years.
You can use your homemade chocolate mint extract for all sorts of things. Add a little to your brownies, hot chocolate or hot chocolate eggnog, ice cream, homemade peppermint patties – use your imagination!
Easy Chocolate Mint Extract Recipe
Ingredients
80 Proof (40% alcohol by weight) vodka
Fresh chocolate mint leaves -OR- Fresh peppermint leaves
Harvest mint in the morning after the dew has cleared. Remove any spoiled leaves and debris, rinse with cold water if needed and pat dry. Keep in mind that any excess water will dilute the extract and may lead to spoilage. Get your leaves nice and dry before chopping them for extract. We've have a LOT of rain here recently, so I didn't bother with a rinse.
I snip off the tender tops, and then strip the rest of the mint leaves from the stem by running my hand from top to bottom. Chop the mint leaves coarsely to create more surface area. A little rough handling/smashing as you pack them in the jar also helps release the oils.
Place chopped mint leaves in a small jar, enough so that the jar is filled but there is still some room for the leaves to wiggle and the booze to fit in. (I used a recycled jam jar, but a cup or half cup canning jar would work well, too.)
Add 1 tablespoon of cacao nibs per cup jar for chocolate mint extract, if you are using peppermint leaves, or if you'd like to add a little more chocolate flavor to your chocolate mint.
Fill jar with vodka to cover the mint leaves. Place lid on jar. Store out of direct sunlight, stirring or shaking daily, for 6-8 weeks. Longer is better if you have the time.
Strain out the mint leaves and cacao nibs with a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth or flour sack towel. Store in a dark bottle out of direct sunlight. Order a set of 4 ouncedark bottles here.
Experiment with Other Mint Extracts
You can use a similar method with whatever sort of mint you have on hand. (I do think catmint might taste a little funny.) Spearmint, gingermint and applemint would be lovely, I'm sure. (There are over 600 varieties of mint, so you have a lot of options.) Don't have fresh mint? You can also make mint extract with dried mint. Can't find chocolate mint at your local nursery? Via the wonder of the internet, you can order a chocolate mint plant online.
Once you've established an herb garden, or even tucked in a few herb plants here and there (many of mine are free range, like chickens, and wander around the yard), you can enjoy years of harvests. Mints do like to spread, so plant them in a pot, or where they have plenty of room to grow or where you can mow around them to keep them in check. I made up this extract after we had already had our first fall frosts. (These plants are tough.) On the same day I filled the dehydrator with chocolate mint, catnip and spearmint. (Chocolate mint makes wonderful herbal tea!)
What's your favorite low maintenance herb, and how do you like to use it? It's always a pleasure to exchange information and get new ideas from our readers.
You may also find useful:
How to Make Liquid Sweetener from Homegrown Stevia – Homemade Stevia Extract
How to Make Homemade Extracts – Vanilla, Lemon and Almond
Apple Scrap Vinegar – Get More Out of Your Apple Harvest
Printable Version of Chocolate Mint Extract Recipe
Easy chocolate mint extract made with fresh mint leaves and cacao nibs.
Ingredients
Scale
80 Proof (40% alcohol by weight) vodka
Fresh chocolate mint leaves
-OR-
Fresh peppermint leaves and 1 tablespoon of cacao nibs
Instructions
Harvest mint in the morning after the dew has cleared. Remove any spoiled leaves and debris, rinse with cold water if needed and pat dry. Keep in mind that any excess water will dilute the extract and may lead to spoilage. Get your leaves nice and dry before chopping them for extract. We've have a LOT of rain here recently, so I didn't bother with a rinse.
I snip off the tender tops, and then strip the rest of the mint leaves from the stem by running my hand from top to bottom. Chop the mint leaves coarsely to create more surface area. A little rough handling/smashing as you pack them in the jar also helps release the oils.
Place chopped mint leaves in a small jar, enough so that the jar is filled but there is still some room for the leaves to wiggle and the booze to fit in. (I used a recycled jam jar, but a cup or half cup canning jar would work well, too.)
Add 1 tablespoon of cacao nibs per cup jar for chocolate mint extract, if you are using peppermint leaves, or if you'd like to add a little more chocolate flavor to your chocolate mint.
Fill jar with vodka to cover the mint leaves. Place lid on jar. Store out of direct sunlight, stirring or shaking daily, for 6-8 weeks. Longer is better if you have the time.
Strain out the mint leaves and cacao nibs with a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth or flour sack towel. Store in a dark bottle out of direct sunlight.
Notes
Use in your favorite recipes that call for mint extract, or anywhere you'd like a little chocolately-minty flavoring.
If you can't find peppermint extract, there are a few substitutions that work just as well. For 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, substitute: 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil (make sure it is edible) 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps.
Chocolate mint is a close relative to ordinary peppermint (Mentha piperita). This hybrid is formed by crossing M.citrata (orange mint) with M.piperita to make the 'Chocolate' cultivar.
However, its addition to basically any recipe already continuing chocolate is destined to be delicious. I am particularly fond of adding it to hot chocolate & brownies. Chocolate mint also makes delicious tea -- simply dry the leaves & flowers, or steep it fresh on its own for a lovely cup.
Mint extract is a mixture of spearmint and peppermint, whereas peppermint extract is just that. Whether you prefer the subtle flavor of spearmint or the in-your-face flavor of peppermint, we have a recipe to suit your taste. Below, we've shared some of our favorite mint recipes.
Made with mint fresh from your garden (or the store) all real ingredients! All you need is mint and vodka to make the best homemade mint extract! You'll use it all year long, from holiday baking to mint chocolate chip ice cream in the summer!
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, also called Italian parsley) is used mostly for cooking while curly parsley is used mostly as a garnish. Flat-leaf parsley can be used as a substitute for mint. Use parsley in a 1:1 ratio for fresh mint and adjust to taste. Cilantro can be used as a substitution for mint in savory dishes.
Spearmint, peppermint or chocolate peppermint, or any mint, will help repel the mosquitoes. And make your planting area smell like a candy dish. Mints are aggressive and spread quickly, so be sure to harvest often. Lavender may be a favorite for many uses because of its pleasing aroma, which does not please mosquitoes.
Chocolate mint is a cultivar of peppermint, a cultivar being a strain cultivated specifically for a few desirable characteristics—in the case of chocolate mint, the pretty brown hue of its stems and an aroma that's been compared to Andes mints (the chocolate-peppermint candy that your grandparents liked to keep in the ...
Chocolate Mint contains several vitamins and minerals that can aid your immune system and reduce chronic inflammation. Its refreshing flavour, like other mints, awakens the mind, increasing focus and cognitive function. Its soothing qualities may aid digestive function and relieve breathing problems.
With its tantalizing aroma, chocolate mint makes a great addition to an array of desserts including mousse, custard, and ice cream. It also makes lovely flavored ice cubes and is a fun addition to popsicles.
What Do We Know About Safety? Peppermint oil appears to be safe when taken orally (by mouth) or applied topically in the doses commonly used. Peppermint oil has been safely used in many clinical trials. Possible side effects of peppermint oil taken orally include heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain, and dry mouth.
Chocolate takes on a rich, rounded, and sometimes earthy flavor, while mint provides a sharp and refreshing taste that enlivens the senses. Basically, these two foods sit on the opposite spectrums of each other in terms of texture and taste. Well, you know the notion that opposites attract.
As previously stated, spearmint is the most subtle of all mint options, which make it an ideal choice for milk chocolate candy and cream centers. Similarly, mint flavoring provides a distinct cooling effect to your chocolates and is great in chocolate cream centers, milk chocolate candies and even ice-creams.
Also, melted chocolate doesn't mix readily with tiny amounts of liquids. So, don't add peppermint extract or any other liquid to the melted chocolate, as this may cause the chocolate to suddenly harden. (A few drops of peppermint oil, on the other hand, can be added.)
For decades, peppermint oil has served as a potent insect repellent and research has confirmed this fact. When used around entry points in the home and applied via sachets near doors and windows or diffuser or spray, it can help repel ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles and ants.
Should You Use Spearmint or Peppermint in Cooking? Use spearmint for all of our recipes that call for mint as a fresh herb. If you see the word “peppermint” in a test-kitchen recipe, it refers to either peppermint extract or candies for baking—and not the fresh herb.
No, peppermint extract is different from peppermint syrup. The extract is a concentrated liquid that can be added to recipes for flavor. Whereas, the syrup is usually made with sugar and water and used as a sweetener or flavoring agent for beverages and desserts.
In answer to your question, you can substitute ½ cup fresh mint with 3 tsp (teaspoon) or 1 Tbs (tablespoon) mint or peppermint extract. Extracts come in different concentrations.
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